The friars of the Province of Blessed John Duns Scotus in France and Belgium were pleased to welcome Br. Massimo Fusarelli, Minister General and Br. Albert Schmucki, Definitor General, from the 17th-22nd June A visit animated by a deep desire to meet the friars and to better understand the challenges of actualizing the charism of St. Francis in France.
After being welcomed by Br. Michel Laloux, the current Provincial, Br. Massimo and Br. Albert were able to participate in the meeting of the Definitory, in Paris. The "Resurgence" approach was presented to them. "This is a process whose initial goal was, in the face of the demographic crisis, to redefine our presences and missions by 2030. It goes far beyond that. "As the months go by, we discover that this process makes us plunge back into the sources of our individual and community vocations. He provokes us to a missionary renewal in a secularized France, he awakens new calls," added Br. Michel Laloux.
Br. Massimo replied: "You do not resign yourself to an inexorable end. You have known several missionary movements, especially in small fraternities in marginalized contexts. You have a practice of religious life, you do not hesitate to experiment, this is a heritage for the Order. I perceive in this dynamic of "Resurgence" a concern for fidelity to your vocation. And I renew my invitation to dialogue to truly discern together what pleases the Lord and not to fall into strategic planning."
Amongst the other points addressed with the Definitory of France-Belgium: the storm of abuse that shook the Church of France. "We do not come out of this catastrophe unscathed, and we are heirs to these betrayals, but this invites us to think about evangelical modes of governance; it is an opportunity for conversion, as Br. Massimo said," enjoined Br. Frédéric-Marie Le Méhauté, the Provincial Vicar. The friars of France-Belgium say they have felt the closeness and support of the Order in this important fight for the protection of minors and respect for the integrity of each person in contact with the friars.
Another challenge in the years to come is the renewed interest of a fringe of Christian youth in the figure of Francis of Assisi. The General was able to see the efforts of coherence, structuring and synergy between the services of Provincial Communication and Youth and Vocations Ministry. In his assessment, Br. Massimo encouraged the friars as follows: "Your reflection and your choices speak of openness, dialogue, engaging with the culture and mentality of today. Rejoice in being present with them, to be a subject, a subject that provokes opportunity for vocational questioning."
After meeting the community of the friars in Paris, the second stage of their visit took them to Vézelay (Burgundy) to discover the oldest establishment of the Order in France. It was in fact in 1217 that Blessed Pacific and some friars settled in a small hermitage, "La Cordelle", still inhabited by three friars. At the call of the Order and in the wake of Pope Francis' encyclicals, the friars explored the contemplative dimension dear to Saint Francis in this green setting. In order to allow the hermitage to continue through the centuries and for the friars to fully live this double dimension of contemplation and unconditional acceptance, a renovation project has been thought out with all the friarss of the Province. It was given to the Minister and the Definitor General in the presence of the many volunteers involved alongside the friars. This project is expected to last two years and will begin this summer with archaeological excavations.
From the centre of France, Br. Massimo and Br. Albert then left for the West and the fraternity of Nantes. It is one of three homes (out of ten in total) that welcome the elderly in the Province. A trip that touched the friars who were greeted as follows: "You are old, you are sick.... but you are alive." Faced with the aging of the Order, which is particularly accentuated in Europe, Br. Massimo and Br. Albert, meeting in turn with the guardian but also with the Commission of the Elderly friars of the Province, were able to admire the concern and the efforts made to live as brothers "to the end" and to maintain the fraternal bond, especially with the friars in retirement homes. Br. Massimo invited the friars to be attentive: "In the years to come, you will be confronted even more with this challenge of ageing. This should not only weigh on the shoulders of the youngest, so it is necessary to continue to study a fair distribution of burdens and responsibilities for the structures of your elder brothers. »
In Nantes, the Minister met with the Interculturality and Internationality Commission. Fr. Miki Kasongo, Definitor and coordinator of the said commission, recalled the mission of the commission. It is to welcome, accompany and listen to the friars who come from other Provinces on the one hand and on the other hand to prepare and accompany the fraternities that welcome with a view to the best intercultural way of living together. Fr. Massimo, praising this work of the commission, stressed that the Province of France and Belgium is among the few Provinces in the Order to do in-depth work on this reality. And asked the Commission to provide him with all the reports that will serve as inspiration for the Order.
It was finally in the Phocaean city, in Marseille, that this week ended in the presence of the friars of Avignon and Marseille. A passage that reaffirmed the attention of the Order and even more so of the entire Franciscan Family for this Mediterranean Sea area, a place of so many human tragedies but also a crucible of a living together selflessly, as equals and certainly prophetically.
As the Minister was unable to go to all the communities of the Province of France-Belgium, a Zoom meeting allowed all the friars to greet him and to question him on this or that subject. He concluded: "I also ask you, while understanding the fatigue you are experiencing, to remain open to the perspectives of the Order and the Conference (COTAF) in order to expand the mental, spiritual and geographical boundaries of your Franciscan life. We are one big family and you can also find inspiration elsewhere."
Article written by Emilie Rey, Communications officer of the Province of Blessed John Duns Scotus
